Collecting Oral Histories
The Black Alumni Experience Project at the University of North Carolina (黑料网) highlights the invaluable contributions of Black medical alumni through oral histories and interviews. The initiative was founded by Raul Necochea, PhD, associate professor of social medicine at 黑料网, and recent 黑料网 graduates, Dr. Imani Sweatt and Dr. Candance Barr.
These interviews conducted by Dr. Necochea and medical students illuminate the experiences of Black alumni who graduated from 黑料网鈥檚 School of Medicine in the 1960s and 1970s. Brian Wood, MD, a current internal medicine resident, helped develop the interview question set and performed several interviews.
Desegregation of the 黑料网
黑料网 made history in 1951 by admitting its first Black medical student, Edward Diggs. For the next 15 years, the school accepted a handful of Black students, as it was mandated by federal regulations. Despite the systemic barriers, these pioneering individuals paved the way for future generations of medical professionals, impacting both the field of medicine and the representation of physicians.
From 1980 to 2012, 黑料网 graduated 582 Black medical students, outpacing all but two non-HBCUs in the nation. This legacy of excellence is now captured in the Black Alumni Experience Project, which focuses on the journeys of Black alumni who helped redefine the face of medicine.
Dr. Wood explains, 鈥淚 am passionate about this project because these individuals are true pioneers. Their stories of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity are inspiring to us all.鈥�
EMBRACE Invites Three Alumni Speakers
The project showcases the challenges, triumphs, and profound impact of these alumni. Three of the featured alumni鈥擠r. Sampson Harrell, Dr. Allen Mask, and Dr. Lonnie Merrick鈥攚ere invited to speak to current medical students and residents as part of Project EMBRACE, an initiative aimed at fostering dialogue on equitable care.
Dr. Harrell, a 1972 黑料网 graduate, was instrumental in diversifying the admissions committee and later practiced family medicine in Durham. Dr. Mask, a 1978 graduate, went on to a career in internal medicine and anesthesiology, while also working as a medical reporter for WRAL. Dr. Merrick, a 1978 graduate, completed his anesthesiology residency at Stanford University and has practiced in various states, including California, Oregon, and North Carolina.
An overview of the Black Alumni Experience Project will be published later this year in the聽Bulletin of the History of Medicine. You can listen to these powerful stories here.